Really good Rat Care sheet

[scooby.ben]

Clair found this last night while browsing for a new rat.

Really good care sheet

Ratty Care sheet

[connor 1213]

thanx for telling us m8

i gave you five stars

[Shell195]

Originally Posted by scooby.ben

Clair found this last night while browsing for a new rat.

Really good care sheet

Ratty Care sheet

I like that site

[LisaLQ]

The diet bit isn't that good. It says rabbit food is not suitable for rats, when the majority of rat owners and breeders use that as the basis of a home made diet. It also says a home made mix should contain fresh meat, therefore making it harder to make in bulk, and more expensive. It says rats need variety, then recommends a lab block diet. Then it goes on to say if you make a home made mix you need to give fresh fruit and veg - which is true, but you do on lab blocks too.

Some of the rest of it is quite good, although I dont think that folks should write off breeders based on them not being keen to let anyone visit. Sometimes it's necessary to be cautious, when you have a new litter or you're on quarantine with new rats. Doesn't mean you dont want folks to come round, I let people visit once the babies are weaned - but no sooner. Most choose only to come when they're ready for their new home.

They have a good bit about not buying from pet shops though - that's great. I love the part about respecting your parents decision if they say no - that's really good.

Their breeding page says you must never inbreed. Line breeding is necessary to work towards good health, if you permanently outcross as recommended on there, you could end up with a whole rattery of animals carrying the same genetic fault and not know it until they're bred to another carrier - then you've lost your whole line. Also they say unneutered males are "prone to testicular tumours". I've never heard of a case of testicular cancer, let alone seen it commonly. Babies dont need seperating til 6 weeks? Most breeders I know seperate at 4.5 to 5 weeks.

The sexing page is very good with some handy piccies. On the quarantining page they recommend quarantining for "a week or two", then later on the same page they recommend 3 weeks minimum. They dont mention needing a seperate airspace if you're going to do this, just a seperate cage. Many diseases are 100% contagious and air-born, so a seperate cage isn't enough (if you decide to quarantine).

Love the "Is something wrong" page, that's really handy. The bumblefoot info suggests it's caused by wire shelves but this has been proven wrong, it's caused by bacteria - so dirty shelves, wire or plastic - wont help.

The SDAV advice (to seperate every sick rat and no treatment is available) is innaccurate. As someone who's had this - you do need to treat all secondary respiratory infections with antibiotics, as it's 100% contagious, there is no need to seperate rats - as the others will already have it by the time one is showing symptoms. You can also give pain relief (aspirin in the water) and fluids to those refusing foods. If they dont show symptoms it doesn't mean they haven't had it - just that more susceptible rats will be poorlier. Quarantine is 6-8 weeks, not 4 months.

Love the varieties pages, although they are US terms/standards, the pics are great (apart from the dove and platinum - unless theirs look significantly different to UK ones).

All in all not bad - just those things to look out for. I'd give it 7/10

[chelbop]

thinking about getting my first rat soon, this really helped! thanks for posting hun !x

[eightball]

link does not work for me ?

[LisaLQ]

If you want good rat care advice, you should read the NFRS website or the Fancy Rats forum.

National Fancy Rat Society

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